Multiform envelope



May 16, 1939. v. J sAwDoN MULTIFORM ENVELOPE Filed July 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY 5 V. J. sAwDoN uULTiFoRM ENVELOPE May 16,1939.

3 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1936 May 16, 1939. v. .1, sAwDoN MULTIFORM ENVELOPE 3 Sheets-SheeiI 3 INVENTOR. Vctor J. Sawdon. BY Z OA 2 i ATToRNEYs Filed July 16, 1936 Patented May i6, i932@ UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ICE victor J. sawdon, Teekanne, N. Y, Application July 16, 1936, Serial No. 90,864

f 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a multiform envelope, especially to a form of envelope adapted to be mailed in large quantities, each envelope being provided with means to facilitate the dispatch of a return reply, and more particularly the invention relates to .a maiiable item ofthe class in which a portion of the original structure is to be detached by the recipient prior to 'despatch Aof the return envelope.

l0 An object of the invention is to provide such a multiform mailable item with an envelope component which has a partially open structure permitting postal inspection in its originally mailable condition, so that it can be mailed as a 35 postal item of relatively inferior class, and which is so disposed that with little volitional effort on the part of the recipient, the sealing of the envelope in conventional fashion for return mailing will automatically convert it into a rst class mailing item.

Such an item, by reason of the 'nature of its contents, and the fact that it has been sealed. will require the payment thereon of appropriate postage, which may be of the so-called free return type, the return postage having been provided for by the original sender, as indicated on the face of the return envelope, or the return postage may be prepaid by the recipient when he mails the return envelope.

Another object of the invention is to provide a return envelope of the above character in which the name and address of the recipientaddressee may be typed, or otherwise inscribed, in alignment with a Window opening through which the addressees name, etc., is visibleat the time of the rst mailing, and which isthereafter so folded-in as not to be in evidence at the time of return mailing, the aforesaid name and address being however so disposed, preferably upon a portion of the sealing flap or adjacent part of the envelope thatk it will be available for reference without any written addition by the person returning the envelope, who will nevertheless be likely to see it before re-mailing, and

will be stimulated thereby to make any correction of name, address ory other legend, which he may consider to be necessary or desirable.

Other objects andL advantages of the inven- 55 plied to corresponding parts througliout'the'sev-Y eral gures which make up the accompanying drawings, in which: T

Fig. 1 is a view in plan of a multiformenvelope structure in the fabrication of which the present invention has been embodied; 5

Fig. 2 is a view ofthe 'structure shown in Flg.

l, after it has been folded upon itself along its medial vertical line;

Fig. 3 is a. view of the structure of Figs. l and 2 as it appears when completely folded for l0 the rst mailing;

Fig.' 4 is a view like that of Fig. 3, but illustrating the envelope structure as it appears when ready for return mailing after the detachment of a portion of the structure originally mailed l5 to the recipient;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of an envelope structure modified by the provision of a window opening through which the name and address of the recipient may be viewed; 20

Fig. 6 is a view of another modification, like that shown in Fig. 5, but with the window opening in a different position, for viewing a differently disposed address.

In a now-preferred embodiment of the inve 25 tion selected for illustration and description, the part' designated generally by the reference character E is an envelope structure comprising a body panel l, a bottom flap 2 folded over,

and adhered, as at 3, to the left-hand side of 30 ture, as shown in Fig. 3, is ready for its original 40 mailing, as a postal item of a relatively inferior class, the position of the flap 4 being clearly shown ln Fig. 3, where it is partly revealed, the overlying panel 8 being out away at 9 for that purpose. 45

The panel 8 forms par-t of an integrai extension (see Fig. '1) along the entire left-hand margin of the Venvelope proper, which may desirably be defined by an easy tear line I0 and which includes also a part which, in Fig. 2, appears as a panel Il adjoining the parts Just described, being preferably integrally formed, and co-extensive in height, with the body I and cover ap l2. The upper edge I3 of the 'extensional! is providednwiththejelatively small sealing flap I which, as already described, serves to retain the folded structure in mailable condition for the first mailing (see Fig. 3).

The inside continuous surface of the panels 8 and Il is intended to bear a multiform communication, which may be of various sorts, as for example a request to pay a bill, or to renew a subscription, or to make a donation, or to replylpromptly to some stated request or inquiry of the original sender. In Fig. 1, part oi' a request to make a payment is shown, ending with brief instructions as -to the return mailing.

The general purpose of the invention being to provide facilities for response which will reduce to a. minimum the need for individual initiative on the part oi' the recipient, the multiform return envelope structure provides, as at I4, a space' to be filled in with the name and address of the recipient. As this is directly in view when the recipient is introducing the desired enclosure into the envelope, preliminary to his return mailing thereof, he will be thereby reminded to fill in his name and address, in order to have the responsive enclosure duly identified with him. I

As a further provision in aid of the return mailing, the extension panel 8 or the extension panel Il, one of which will overlie the address when the envelope is folded for the original mailing, may be provided with a window opening i6 as illustrated in Fig. 6.

This makes it possible to view therethrough the address, so that the original sender may typewrite or otherwise inscribe the name and address of the recipient at the time of the original mailing and be assured thereby of a correct identification upon its return, thus avoiding the contingency of a lack of identification in the event that the recipient overlooks the need for supplying the same, or wilfully omits to ,inscribe his name and address. 'I'he failure by the donor of a contribution to reveal his identity is an instance of the need for such a provision as that last disclosed, for it is obviously desirable to know the origin of each donation to a fund, in order, first of all, that a complete list of donors may be kept; second, that suitable acknowledgement of the donation may be made; third, that the donor shall not be annoyed by follow-up requests, in the same campaign, for a donation which he has already made; and there is also the desideratum, very important from the standpoint of perennial administration of a charity, for example, that the names of all donors shall be available for further solicitation in subsequent years, and that the current addressV list shall be complete and correct.

A recipient is more likely to take the trouble to correct an improper address than to make the greater effort involved in supplying his complete name and address, even when every possible indication is provided in the way of spaces and appropriate legends, designed to elicit the information, as'shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that, alternatively with the disposition of the window shown in Fig. 6, the bottom part of the extension 8 may, as illustrated in Fig. 5, be provided with a window, as at I5', so disposed that when the extension is folded over at the time of original mailing the window II will register with a space on the exposed face of the bottom ap 2 at which the address is to be lled in, with the intended purpose that the address shall be utilized for the original mailing. 'nie communication on the inside of the panels l and Il will, of course, be suitably disposed, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, to avoid interference between it and a window, when a window is provided.

In either the form of Fig. 5 or that of Fig. 6, the name and address of the recipient may be typewritten or otherwise inscribed, by the original sender, either prior to the operation of folding, or through the window when the envelope structure is otherwise completely ready for mailing.

By availing of the last-named provision, the sender can address individual envelopes seriatim from an already prepared stack of multiform letters, identical in all respects, with the exception of the names and addresses of recipients, and ali ready for mailing, so that by a single operation on each item, it may be completed for mailing. and no time lost by reason of the need for performing folding or other operations.

Each such item will accordingly, as already described, carry with it the desired identification of the recipient. to be availed of in any desired manner upon receipt of the return envelope, which may be of the prepaid return type, suitably indicated, as shown at l1', in dotted lines, in a manner approved by the postal authorities, on the face bearing the name and return address of the original sender (see Fig. 4, at I8, indicating name and address on reverse) or the name and address of any intended addressee for the return item.

The desired, sealing of the return envelope may be facilitated not only-by providing a gummed area at the forward end of the ap, as at I9 (see Fig. 1), but also by providing lateral gummed areas, as at and 2|. The last-named lateral area serves, when the envelope is sealed for return, to adhere the cover flap to the lateral side flap 4, thus constituting the return envelope a first-class mail item, completely private, and as such more suitable for enclosure of checks, etc., or of any private communication which the recipient may desire to send in connection with his response.'

The desired sealing as a first-class mail item may be promoted by the provision of such a legend as that illustrated at 22, via, Seal all around, which is self-explanatory, and attention-arresting.

Of course, by omitting to wet the gum on area 2| or by omitting the lateral gummed area 2i entirely, the side flap 4 will be left free to be untucked for postal inspection, the other advantages of the return envelope structure remaining available as described.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Lettersv Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An envelope structure comprising a body panel, a bottom fiap folded over andadhering along one edge directly to a side edge of the body panel, a side ap loosely associated with the remote side edge of the folded-over bottom flap, and a gummed cover flap adapted to be folded over the upper open edge of the envelope and to be adhered directly to the firstmentioned edge of the bottom flap, and also to be adhered along the bottom margin of said bottom flap. and also at will to said side ap, whereby said envelope can be closed at will to serve as a private mailing item and selectively as an at least partially open item.

2. A multiform envelope structure of the class described comprising as elements a complete en velope, including a body panel, a bottom flap folded over and adhered along one sideedge to the body panel, a side flap associated with the remote side edge of the folded-over bottom flap, and a gummed cover flap; and an extension panel adapted to be folded flatly over said parts which constitute said complete envelope and adapted to be folded again with, and to enclose, said parts, and means to seal said folded-over extension.

3. A multiform envelope structure of the class described comprising as elements a complete envelope, including a body panel, a bottom flap folded over and adhered along one side edge to the body panel, a side flap associated with the remote side edge of the folded-over bottom ilap, and a gummed cover ilap; and an extension panel adapted to be folded atly over said parts which constitute said complete envelope and adapted to be folded again with, and to enclose, said parts, and means to seal said folded-over extension, said last-named means being integral with one edge of said extension, thereby sealing one edge thereof and permitting access to the interior of all parts of said envelope.

4. A multiform envelope structure of the class described comprising as elements a complete envelope, including a body panel, a bottom flap folded over and adhered along one side edge to the body panel, a side ap associated with the remote side edge of the folded-over bottom ilap, and a gummed cover ap; and an extension panel adapted to be folded atly over said parts which constitute said complete envelope and adapted to be folded again with, and to enclose, said parts, v

and means to seal said folded-over extension, said extension being readily detachable from said complete envelope, leaving the latter in proper form for return mailing.

5. A multiform envelope-structure of the class described, said envelope structure comprising as a component a complete envelope, formed of a body panel and complementa] aps including a sealing flap, said envelope having provision on one face for the name and address of an original addressee, and having on the otherface provision for the name and address of a return addressee, said ilrst-named address being so disposed as to be concealed by said sealing flap when said en.

velope is used as a return envelope.

6. A multiform envelope structure of the class described, said envelope structure comprising as a component a complete envelope, formed of a body panel and complementa] flaps including a sealing flap, said envelope having provision on one face for the name and address of an original addressee, and having on the other face provision for the name and address ofa return acl-I dresse'e, and a detachable extension panel adjoining said completel envelope and foldable thereover into position covering the face bearing said space for the name and address of the original addressee, said extension having a window suitably disposed to reveal said name and address of the original addressee, so that the last-mentioned name and address may be utilized in the original mailing of said envelope structure to the recipient who is to return the same.

7. A multiform envelope structure as set forth in claim 6 and further characterized by having said window formed in the part of said extension panel which is adapted to extend over the rear face of the bottom ilap of the complete envelope.

VICTOR J. SAW'DON. 

